by David Jackson, USA TODAY

by David Jackson, USA TODAY

Obama will travel Thursday to Cooperstown, N.Y., to give a tourism speech at the well-visited Baseball Hall of Fame.

In addition to promoting the domestic economy, tourism can also be a lucrative export, Obama said in his weekend radio address.

"If we make it easier for more foreign visitors to visit and spend money at America's attractions and unparalleled national parks, that helps local businesses and grows the economy for everyone," Obama said.

"The timing of the president's visit is great for the Baseball Hall of Fame. The museum, which opened in 1939, is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year.

"Obama's trip to New York comes on the heels of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's second tourism summit, which was held Wednesday in New York City. Cuomo unveiled a new tourism ad campaign and said the state will invest $45 million to promote New York's tourism industry.

"According to Cuomo's office, tourism generated $61.3 billion in direct spending and $7.7 billion in local and state tax revenue in 2013. The number of visitors to New York increased by 8.8 million -- a 4.2 percent increase over last year's total."